


As Long As We're Together

by todxrxki



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Childhood Friends, Haikyuu Valentines, M/M, Valentine's Day Fluff, kuroken through the years being a bit oblivious but also super sappy, kuroo and kenma growing up together, listen i'm just soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-19 09:07:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22708441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/todxrxki/pseuds/todxrxki
Summary: Kenma has spent every single Valentine’s Day the past few years with Kuroo. Over the past few years, it's become somewhat of a tradition: Valentine's is his day to hang out with Kuroo, eat chocolates, and play video games. It's become a holiday that he looks forward to rather than one he dreads. And he's completely aware that he has Kuroo to thank for that. / Five times that Kuroo and Kenma spent Valentine's Day together, and one time they finally spent it /together/.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 21
Kudos: 484
Collections: Haikyuu Valentines, My favorite haikyuu fics, Recommended KuroKen Fics





	As Long As We're Together

_ one.  _

There are footsteps sounding down the hall, steadily moving towards nine-year-old Kozume Kenma’s room. The person doesn’t even knock once they reach Kenma’s room; instead, they just throw the door open, a grin on their face. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” comes the bright exclamation. Kenma doesn't even need to look to know that it's Kuroo.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Kenma returns, remarkably more half-hearted. “Thought you were gonna go to that kid in your class’ party or something.”

“Yeah, but then I realized that meant you were gonna sulk in your room all alone.”

“Not sulking.” Kenma sits up from where he’s been sprawled out on his bed, positioning his arms on his knees. “But I have something for you, anyways. My mom made me get you chocolates.”

“S’not as nice when you tell me your mom made you!” Kuroo exclaims indignantly. Still, he accepts the chocolates. “Aren’t chocolates s’posed to be for girls to give to guys they like?”

“I guess my mom likes you.”

“Ha, gross,” Kuroo says. “But good, ‘cause I have some chocolates to give you too.”

Kenma takes them happily. He’s always been a little too fond of sweets. Immediately digging into them, he says through a mouthful of chocolate, “Are ‘ou stayin’?”

“Obviously,” Kuroo says. “What d’you wanna play? If we’re gonna play Mario Kart, I call being Waluigi.”

“I’ll still beat you either way,” Kenma challenges.

“You will not,” Kuroo says, though he looks a little afraid. Kuroo’s never actually beaten him at Mario Kart, but every time they play, he insists that it’s his lucky day. Sadly for Kuroo, it’s never his lucky day: not even items are enough to save him.

“We’ll see,” Kenma replies. “Let’s do it, then. Mario Kart first.”

“Mario Kart!” Kuroo cheers, running over to put the game in, and Kenma thinks that this is better than any stupid party, anyways. And, internally, he kind of hopes that Kuroo feels the same way he does.

_ two. _

Kenma has spent every single Valentine’s Day the past few years with Kuroo. Over the past few years, it's become somewhat of a tradition: Valentine's is his day to hang out with Kuroo, eat chocolates, and play video games. It's become a holiday that he looks forward to rather than one he dreads. And he's completely aware that he has Kuroo to thank for that. 

However, now that they’re both in middle school, Kenma expects that’s going to change. 

Kenma’s not oblivious. He had been last year, when he’d still been in primary school while Kuroo was off at middle school and had been desperately hoping that everything would stay exactly the same. But this year, he sees everything: how the girls all flock to Kuroo, newly thirteen and steadily growing with a winning smile. Kuroo’s never said anything to Kenma about it, but Kenma imagines that this year a girl will show up with chocolates and a confession, and Kuroo will accept and spend the day with her, marking the end of his and Kuroo's little tradition. 

But Valentine’s Day rolls around, and Kuroo throws open the door to Kenma’s room. Kenma stares at him. “What are you doing here?” he asks slowly.

“What d’you mean?” Kuroo walks over to the bed and flops down beside Kenma, moving himself into a seated position and then tilting his head at Kenma. “We always hang out on Valentine’s Day, don’t we? Or did you end that tradition and I somehow missed it?”

“Shut up,” Kenma grumbles. “You got confessed to today, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, so? I don’t want a girlfriend, and I definitely don’t wanna go on a date. I wanna hang out here, with my best friend.”

It shouldn’t make Kenma euphoric to hear that, but regardless it does, somehow. He accepts the bag that Kuroo holds out towards him with one hand and tears it open to see there’s a slice of apple pie inside, his favorite. Gratefully, he nudges Kuroo. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Kuroo says back, energetic as ever. “Hey, where’s my candy, huh? I got you pie! Don’t I deserve something in return?” 

“I got you some chocolate, but I left it in one of my drawers and I don’t wanna go search for it.”

“Kenma! Do I matter that little to you?”

“Shut up. If you mattered that little, I wouldn’t have gotten you anything at all.”

“Hah, I guess that’s right,” Kuroo says. “So what are we doin’ today? Volleyball? Video games? Movie? What d’you wanna do?”

Kenma turns up his nose at the idea of playing volleyball on a holiday, but he can’t help thinking that he doesn’t really mind all that much what they do, so long as he’s with Kuroo.

_ three.  _

A few years pass, and Kuroo starts high school. 

Kenma’s absolutely certain that this is going to be the year that their tradition stops. Kuroo is a volleyball player in high school now. He’s tall and, if Kenma’s speaking purely objectively, handsome. He has tons of girls after him, and he’s old enough now to be at the point that almost everyone around him is accepting confessions on Valentine’s Day, not hanging out with their childhood best friend. 

Once again, though - Kuroo proves him wrong. 

“You want any of this?” Kuroo asks after barging into Kenma's room. He opens his bag, and an entire stockpile of chocolate falls to the ground. 

Kenma glances up at Kuroo, then back down at the ground. He counts at least thirty boxes there. “You got this many confessions?”

Kuroo sighs, sitting down on the floor. Kenma plops down beside him as Kuro says, “Some of them were less confessions, more people shoving chocolate into my locker.” 

Kenma picks up the note on one of the chocolate boxes. “ _ Dearest Kuroo-senpai…. I think you’re so handsome, but I don’t think you’ll ever notice me. Still, I decided to be brave today! Will you accept my confession?  _ Oh, gross.”

“You’re telling me,” Kuroo says with a grimace. 

“I thought you liked this kind of stuff. Don’t you like any of them?”

“Not that way,” Kuroo says with a shrug. “Besides, volleyball is grueling - and no, Kenma, that doesn’t mean you’re getting out of joining next year. There’s no time for me to date anyone, really. Besides,” he grins, “that means I’d be missing our Valentine’s extravaganza. Where’s my chocolate from you, by the way?”

“You got fifty boxes of chocolate from girls. What d’you need a box from me for?”

“Your chocolates are special,” Kuroo complains, pouting at him - the same pout Kenma’s always, unfortunately, been very weak to. Kenma sighs, throwing a box at his chest. Kuroo beams even bigger. “I knew you’d never forget about me.”

“Ugh, you’re annoying,” Kenma says, but he still catches the box Kuroo tosses to him in return and holds it gently in his hands. 

Kenma’s never been confessed to, unlike Kuroo. He tries to imagine what it would be like. Immediately, though, he’s accosted with the image of Kuroo smiling up at him, offering him a box of chocolates and saying in a soft, gentle voice, “So, Kenma, will you accept my confession?”

Well, that’s an image he simultaneously hates and love, as well as a realization he’s more than ready to suppress for the next ten or so years. Hopefully that's enough time to get over it.

Falling in love with your best friend is the most cliche thing ever, second only to realizing it on Valentine’s Day. Kenma hates himself for it.

So he challenges Kuroo to a round of Mario Kart again, hoping it'll distract him.

_ four.  _

“God, I’m never dating again.” Kuroo takes a bite off his fork, then stabs another bite of his pie and holds it out to Kenma. Kenma takes the bite. 

_ Secondhand kiss,  _ some kind of demon within him sings, while the rest of Kenma says that it’s just Kuroo, who he’s been eating after for a good majority of his life.  Kenma ignores both voices and sighs, nudges Kuroo’s foot with his own. “What exactly happened?”

“I told her from the beginning that volleyball is a big part of my life,” Kuroo says with a groan. “And then you know what she says in her big breakup speech?  _ I just feel like you value volleyball over me.  _ Of course I do! I’d choose volleyball over almost anyone.”

“Almost?” Kenma asks.

“Well, yeah. Not over my dad and grandparents and stuff,” Kuroo says, and then, giving Kenma a gentle kick back, finishes, “Not over you.”

There’s something about that bold pronouncement that makes Kenma’s throat start to close up. He bites down on his lip, hoping for a reality check. Obviously he’s important to Kuroo. He’s Kuroo’s best friend. Has always been, most likely will always be. (But yet, desperately, stupidly, he still holds out hope for more.)

Quickly, he changes the subject. “You should just date someone that actually plays volleyball. Then maybe they’d understand.”

“Hm,” Kuroo says. He casts Kenma a lingering glance, then gives a tiny nod. “Maybe you’re right.” He takes a pause. “Anyways, I’m just glad that she dumped me before Valentine’s Day, so I didn’t have to spend it with her and... I can spend it with you instead.”

Kenma pops a piece of the chocolate Kuroo had given him into his mouth. “Does it say something about you,” he says, measuredly, after he’s swallowed, “that you’d rather spend your Valentine’s Day with me than with a girl?”

Kuroo smiles. “Maybe. But I don’t think I care if it does.”

Kenma's heart hammers in his chest, far too loud. He ignores it and passes Kuroo a controller. _Don't you dare get your hopes up._

_ five.  _

Kenma’s sprawled out on his bed, PSP in his hand, waiting for Kuroo to show up - his usual position on Valentine’s Day. Kuroo had been acting weirder than usual today, but when Kenma had asked if they were still hanging out today as usual, Kuroo had insisted that they were. He’d also said he had to run home to grab something, but he’d be there in five minutes.

It’s been nearly twenty now. Kenma wonders if he’s being ditched. He’d be upset, that’s for sure, but the day was bound to come when Kuroo got tired of spending Valentine’s Day with him, or finally figured out that it was a bit strange. And in that case, Kenma can spend all day playing video games, so it’s not like it’s a total loss. 

At least, that’s what he tells himself, attempting to ignore the sadness bubbling up within him.

But then the door flies open and a flustered-looking Kuroo says, “Uh, I’m here.”

“Yeah, obviously.” Kenma gets up, crossing his arms across his chest. “What’s going on? You look freaked out. Did something happen?”

“Nothing’s happened - yet,” Kuroo says. “It’s more like I’m freaked out about what’s about to happen. What I’m about to do.”

“Kuro,” Kenma says. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Just. Sit down,” Kuroo says, pointing at the bed, and Kenma reluctantly does so. He pulls out a box of chocolates from behind his back, and puts it in Kenma’s lap. 

“Why are you so nervous about that?” Kenma asks. “You give me chocolate every year.” Kuroo’s eyes widen, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he gets down on one knee. Kenma feels like he’s going to explode - is this some kind of sick joke? Has Kuroo figured out his feelings and is now making fun of him? “Is this a proposal?” Kenma asks sarcastically, feeling like he's about to suffocate.

Kuroo’s head shoots up. “Is this weird?” he asks, sounding a bit panicked.

“Uh, yeah. Can… can you just tell me what’s going on?”

“I knew I should’ve read some shoujo manga or something before I did this.”

“I really have no idea what you’re on about.”

Kuroo reaches out, taking one of Kenma’s hands, and Kenma freezes up at the contact. This keeps getting weirder and weirder, Kenma thinks, and then Kuroo finally speaks. “Kenma,” he says in that soft voice that Kenma loves so much (though he’d never admit it out loud). “We’ve known each other forever. I think you’re the one who understands me the best, even better than my own family, and I hope that’s true of me for you too. But it took me forever to be able to fully comprehend my feelings for you. Sometimes, I think I don’t understand them really myself. But there’s one thing I definitely do know.”

“Kuro, wha - “

“I love you,” Kuroo interrupts quickly. “I’m in love with you. And, uh, those chocolates are like, actual romantic chocolates this time.  _ Willyouacceptmyconfession?” _

“What the hell,” Kenma manages. All he can do is stare at Kuroo, slack-jawed, because where the  _ hell did this come from? _ . “What the  _ hell _ ?” 

“Is that a no?”

“On Valentine’s Day? Really? You had to pick the most cliche day ever.”

“Wha - that’s what you’re upset about?!”

“Yes,” Kenma grumbles, narrowing his eyes. “First I figure out I’m in love with you on Valentine’s Day, and then you confess to me on Valentine's Day too. What's next, a Valentine's Day proposal? God, I’m a walking cliche. I hate it.”

“Well, I’m sor - wait, did you just say you’re in love with me?”

“Yeah. I thought it was obvious. Of course I love you.”

“H-holy shit.” 

Kuroo’s grinning now, a smile of the likes Kenma has never seen before, a smile that makes it hard to look at him. He launches forward, burying his head in Kenma’s chest since he’s still knelt on the ground, arms wrapping around Kenma’s back. Kenma runs his hand down Kuroo’s back soothingly. “Ugh. I never thought I’d actually get confessed to on Valentine’s Day.”

“I’ll confess to you every Valentine’s Day if you want.”

“I don’t want that.”

“Kenma-senpai, I’ve been watching the way you move at volleyball practices recently, and I can’t stop thinking about you. Will you accept my - “

Kenma has a theory, you see. He thinks that one method of getting Kuroo to stop talking that could be far more effective than just telling him to shut up already is kissing him, cutting off his stupid rambles. 

And based on the way Kuroo immediately stops talking, moving up to cup Kenma’s face, his lips curving up even more into the kiss, Kenma thinks that his theory is most likely true.

It’s an unexpected Valentine’s Day surprise, Kenma thinks. But certainly not an unwelcome one.

_ (and one.) _

“Happy Valentine’s Day, my love,” Kuroo says, walking into the room with a  _ thing  _ under his arm.

“The hell is that?”

“It’s a stuffed cat!” Kuroo says. “Because you’re like a cat, and it looks kind of like you, and it’s  _ romantic _ , Kenma, god - also, your beloved boyfriend is here to see you all the way from university, you’d think you’d at least get up to greet him!” 

“You go to school, like, half an hour away,” Kenma grumbles, but he stands up nonetheless and walks toward Kuroo. Kuroo drops the cat on the ground in favor of pulling Kenma into his arms. Kenma nuzzles closer into his chest - though Kuroo does go to school not too far away, it’s not quite the same as when they’d been at the same school and he’d been able to see him - and hug him - every day. He’d never say anything of the sort to Kuroo, but Kuroo probably knows.

Without warning, Kuroo picks him up off the ground, holding him bridal style. Kenma lets out a probably very undignified squeak, then lightly punches Kuroo in the chest. “What the hell is this for?” he says. 

“I just wanted to hold you,” Kuroo says with a shrug, lightly jostling Kenma.

Kenma squirms in his grasp. “Put me down already, would you?”

“I’m comin’ with you, then,” Kuroo says, setting Kenma down on the bed before he lies down next to him, snaking an arm around Kenma’s waist to pull him close. Kenma settles in naturally, resting his head on Kuroo’s chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It’s strangely relaxing, he thinks. “So what’s the big Valentine’s plans this year? Fancy dinner? Romantic stroll by the river?”

Kenma levels him with a flat stare. “You’re wearing a sweatshirt.”

“Obviously I’m kidding,” Kuroo says, kissing his forehead.

“But if you want to, we can go… stroll by the river, or whatever.”

Kuroo cackles, his stupid Kuroo laugh that’s always too loud and too obnoxious but still so beautifully Kuroo. Then he shakes his head. “Nah. It really doesn’t matter to me what we do. Call me cheesy, but all that matters to me is that I’m with you, my love.”

“You’re cheesy,” Kenma says. “Hopelessly cheesy.”

“Hopelessly in love, maybe.”

“Mmm,” Kenma says. “Well, good thing I am too, or I’d make fun of you for it.”

Kuroo gapes, just like he always does when Kenma says anything remotely romantic, before he leans down to kiss Kenma feverishly, knotting his fingers in Kenma’s hair.

It’s been almost ten Valentine’s Days with Kuroo now, and Kenma can’t help but think that each one has been better than the last - th ough given his reactions, Kuroo might actually die if Kenma were to say that out loud.

His stupid Kuroo, Kenma thinks. Still, he can't help but smile a little, his chest light and fluttery as he kisses Kuroo back.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!!  
> This is my entry for the Haikyuu Valentines Exchange!! I was partnered with the amazing @halfquaint on Twitter, and was truly so honored to get to write soft Kuroken for her, as I love her art so much!!  
> I hope that you enjoy and that this is soft enough Kuroken for you :') Happy Valentine's Day once again!!


End file.
